


Clever Little Maid of Gondolin, The

by HASA_Archivist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: First Age, Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-19
Updated: 2003-04-17
Packaged: 2018-03-24 18:24:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3779084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HASA_Archivist/pseuds/HASA_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A clever little poem about a clever little Elf. Sometimes disobedience pays off.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Clever Little Maid of Gondolin

A clever little maid of Gondolin  
strayed from her house in the night.  
Though she'd been told to do not so,  
the air was so fragrant; the Stars, so bright!

Along the white paths she wandered,  
and chanced upon a silvery stream.  
In the clover spied she, a _beryl_!  
Oh! How it did glitter and gleam!

There did she reach with her clever little palm,  
and scooped the gem up in her hand,  
"My!" she thought, "Why I must be  
The luckiest little maid in the land!"

But as she stood and admired her find,  
someone drew near in the dark--from behind.

"Boo!" the voice boomed in her clever little ear,  
she started and jumped with a scream;  
and out of her hand popped the bauble,  
which was carried away by the stream.

As she wheeled round to see who was near  
tears sprang from her bright Elven eyes.  
To her dismay she looked but saw naught  
but a tiny white mouse that stood by.

"I am sorry my dear." the mouse said at last  
"I did not wish to cause you to fret.  
Please accept my apologies,  
my condolences and heartfelt regret."

Upon those words her tears were dried,  
and across her face grew a sly little smile.  
For as the story goes 'tis said,  
she was a very clever little child.

"Forgiveness is yours dear friend." she said.  
"Now you shall have me and I shall have you.  
For a talking mouse is worth more that a _beryl_ ;  
more, I should think, than two!"


	2. Author's Notes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A clever little poem about a clever little Elf. Sometimes disobedience pays off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

I sincerely hope that those who are well aware of the ways in which poetry is to be read will forgive the pedantic lesson into which I am about to launch. As much as I hate to sound condescending, it has recently come to my attention that some of us who are checking out stories and poems for review are wholly unaware of even the simplest poetic forms and their uses.

Please understand that I am not, in any way, doing this in scorn--but, somewhat, in dismay. If I didn't think that this instruction was necessary, I would not bother to provide it.

The piece that you are about to read is a children's poem. It is a tale of fancy that is not to be taken literally as it is a fairytale in the form of a poem. I realize that mice do not, in fact, speak. The little maid in question is clever because she is able to see where her recent loss has given way to a gain that is worth more than double what she had before, where many people would simply focus on the loss, and neglect the opportunity at hand.

The poem is in the form known as the "single couplet quatrain" with an _xaxa_ rhyme scheme. This means that it is a four-line stanza with only one rhyme which occurs between the second and fourth lines which further means that lines 1 and 3 do not rhyme but stand to carry the rhythm. A good example of this form is found in a poem called, "A Red, Red Rose" which is by one of my favorites, Robert Burns.

_O My Luve's like a red, red rose,_  
That's newly sprung in June;  
O My Luve's like the melodie  
That's sweetly played in tune...

Although my lines tend to be a bit longer (and not as good--by a long shot) this is the basic rhythm to follow.

Thank you for indulging me. I hope that if this little tirade didn't utterly piss you off, that it helped you to enjoy the poem for the silly, little thing that it is.

Lasbelindi  



End file.
